On the China Silk Road tours, visitors can not only witness the magnificent natural scenery, but also experience the fascinating culture. As important destinations along China Silk Road, Xinjiang and Luoyang will take you on an exploration of distinctive customs.
Xinjiang
The customs of Xinjiang are rich and diverse, covering food, housing, clothing, and festivals. During your Xinjiang tours, you can experience the colorful minority cultures.
Admire Traditional Dwellings
Minority housing in Xinjiang can be divided into two main categories: houses in pastoral areas and houses in agricultural areas. Most of the houses in the pastoral areas are mainly yurts, which are convenient for living on the grassland. In the grasslands, you will have the opportunity to visit these exquisite houses. The hospitable herders will invite you to taste Xinjiang milk tea and experience the traditional nomadic life.
Dwellings in the agricultural areas are usually characterized by earthen and wooden structures. The roofs of the houses are mostly flat with low walls around them. Wander through the streets to observe exquisite carvings on the doors and windows. Entering the house, you can see colorful tapestries and beautiful hand embroidery hanging on the walls.
Visit the International Grand Bazaar
Bazaar means “market” in Uyghur, which is an important place for people to socialize and relax. Here you will experience lively local life and learn about traditional Xinjiang culture. Walking through the Bazaar, you can see a variety of beautiful ethnic goods such as hats, musical instruments and ceramics. Or observe Uyghur artisans demonstrating the production process. You can choose to customize your own handicrafts.
In the Grand Bazaar, you will also witness the majestic architecture, blending Uyghur and Kazakh architectural styles. Huge arches, towering spires, and exquisite murals all display ethnic culture. The sightseeing tower is surrounded by spacious squares and commercial streets. In addition, the Grand Bazaar offers a wide variety of cultural activities every day. For example, you can enjoy the traditional songs and dances of Uyghur, Kazakh and other ethnic groups.
Taste the Local Cuisine
Xinjiang has a distinctive food culture. The staple foods of the local people are diverse, including naan, noodles, and buns. In their daily lives, Xinjiang people mainly eat meat and dairy products. Lamb kebabs and roasted whole lamp are representative of Xinjiang cuisine. And the local people are good at adding various spices to flavor their food, such as cumin, chili peppers, and onions.
In Xinjiang, you also need to know the local eating habits. For example, guests should not fiddle with the food on their plates while eating. Avoid stepping on or crossing over the tablecloths. Sitting in boxes or bags containing food can also be considered impolite. Besides, most ethnic groups in Xinjiang believe in Islam, so they do not eat pork.
Experience Ethnic Festivals
Minorities in Xinjiang have many traditional festivals. Gurbon Festival is one of the grandest Uyghur festivals. Uyghurs express their gratitude by slaughtering livestock during this festival. Family gatherings are also an important part of this holiday. The locals clean their houses and make various cuisines for families. On the day of the festival, people will go to the mosque for congregation and recitation. In the mosque, you can enjoy wonderful ethnic celebrations.
Eid al-Fitr is a major Islamic holiday, which marks the end of Ramadan. On this day, Muslims will dress up and go to the mosque for a grand celebration. Afterwards, the locals will visit friends and relatives and exchange gifts. You can also watch traditional activities such as horse racing and wrestling to experience the lively festival atmosphere.
Luoyang
Located in Henan province, Luoyang is the earliest ancient capital in Chinese history. Luoyang tours attract countless culture lovers with their rich customs. Here you can witness traditional Chinese art and participate in lively folk activities.
Visit the Peony Culture Festival of Luoyang
Every April, the peonies in Luoyang bloom, making the city a sea of flowers. The Peony Culture Festival of Luoyang attracts tourists from all over the world. You can capture the colorful peonies in all the major peony viewing gardens in Luoyang. Stroll through the park and admire a variety of gorgeous peonies.
The Peony Culture Festival of Luoyang is also an important cultural event in Luoyang. During the festival, you can watch historical dramas to learn about Zhou Dynasty ceremonial rites. Also explore a variety of creative products and specialty foods related to peonies at the Cultural Market. You can buy exquisite peony embroidery and tasty scented tea. Taking photos with peonies in Hanfu is also a popular activity.
Experience Traditional Handicrafts
Paper-cutting is one of the traditional handicraft representatives of Luoyang. These works display auspicious patterns and folklore, expressing good wishes. Luoyang embroidery creates colorful patterns and shapes with needle and thread. Through these embroideries, you can know about the folklore and stories of Luoyang. During your trip to Luoyang, you can learn to make paper-cutting and embroidery with local people.
Luoyang palace lantern is a famous folk handicraft with a long history. The production process of traditional palace lanterns requires 72 procedures. During major festivals, these palace lanterns will light up the streets of the city. You can watch the craftsmen making the palace lanterns and learn about the skillful techniques. Or make a palace lantern to experience the charming handmade art.
Watch Yu Opera
Yu Opera is a treasure of Chinese opera art, regarded as one of the five major Chinese opera genres. It is characterized by unique singing, vivid performances and varied repertoires. The music for voices of Yu Opera is powerful, with rich rhythmic changes. Yu Opera actors can convey the character’s personality and social background through acting techniques such as eyes, stance and gestures. The Yu Opera orchestra consists mainly of stringed instruments and percussion instruments, such as erhu and drums.
You can watch the wonderful performance at Luoyang Yu Opera Theater. During some major festivals, the theater will show diverse Yu Opera performances. You can learn about Henan folklore and biographies in these performances. The actors will portray the profound history and culture of Henan through wonderful dialogues and actions.
Explore Local Temple Fairs
In Luoyang, visiting the temple fair is an important activity of the Spring Festival. During the festival, various grand ceremonies will be held at the temples. While admiring the majestic architectures, you can watch wonderful Luoyang folklore shows. Shehuo performance is an major program of the temple fair activities, which is a common name for folk amusements in Luoyang. You can see folk performances such as dragon dance, lion dance and stilt walking.
Also experience Luoyang handicrafts and participate in diverse folk games. Wandering through the streets, you can buy many traditional handicrafts and local snacks. And visit thematic exhibitions such as the Heluo Culture Exhibition to learn about the splendid cultural heritage of Luoyang. At night, admire the New Year’s lantern shows at various cultural parks.
Summary
Different regions in China boast distinctive cultures. Xinjiang and Luoyang display their colorful customs through festivals, performances and art. These traditional customs will help you to learn about the splendid Chinese civilization and experience the vibrant local life. Don’t forget to explore these interesting customs during your trip to China.
